Brad Paisley on George Jones: ‘The Greatest Voice Country Music Will Ever Know’

Brad Paisley offered one of the most touching and heartfelt tributes to the late George Jones, who passed away on Friday, April 26 at the age of 81. Paisley issued his "in memoriam" style statement via Twitter, calling the singer "the greatest voice country music will ever know" and "one of the greatest friends you could ever have."

Below is the full text of Paisley's note, where he speaks of Jones in superlatives. Paisley celebrates The Possum's resilience and ability to channel all of life's hard knocks into song. Grab a Kleenex, though, as it might make you get a little misty-eyed.

George Jones' life is an example of so many wonderful things; How someone's God-given gifts can make this a richer, better place. How one human being can overcome adversity, addiction, and life threatening obstacles time and time again. That it is not the stumble or fall that counts, but the willingness to stand again. How a keen sense of humor and a twinkle in a person's eye can still prevail even after all of life's hard knocks. How mistakes, missteps, and bad choices are not the end of the world if a person chooses to turn them into something good. And George's life is above all the strongest example of how the love of a great woman can get a man through anything. All of this made its way beautifully into every note of the greatest voice country music will ever know and one of the greatest friends you could ever have.